


King and Lionheart

by woooyifan



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 02:40:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18437330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woooyifan/pseuds/woooyifan
Summary: Mark is lucky enough that he loves his job, every single day.





	King and Lionheart

Contrary to popular belief, Mark didn't hate his job. In fact, he loved his job. His work was important, extremely so, and he took it quite seriously. He also got to work side by side with his best friend, which was a huge plus. The pay was great, and he actually enjoyed his tasks. So no, Mark didn't hate his job. But sometimes it just tended to rub him the wrong way. Like today for instance.  
Mark let in the usual maids that brought in Donghyuck's bath water at night, because the prince demanded hot water, and the privacy to bathe in his own chambers. Four maids entered, and five maids exited. Mark narrowed his eyes, assessing each one of them thoroughly. They tried to scuttle by rather quickly, the one in the middle of the formation tripping over her (or rather his) robes. Mark sighed and reached between the maids, pulling the second prince, and his charge, back by the scruff of his neck. Donghyuck whined petulantly and the other maids hurried off before Mark could lecture them about taking part in the prince's shenanigans.

  
"No, you are not sneaking out tonight. You have an early morning tomorrow you know. We have to go see Prince Youngho off at the docks, and then you have your rapier lessons. After that-" Mark starts explaining as he hauls Donghyuck back into his room, the younger wiggling out of his grip.

  
"I know, I know. But the others went out to the tavern tonight because now we're all finally old enough to go and-" Donghyuck cut him off only to have Mark do the same.

  
"And so you were going to sneak out of the castle and go to the tavern?" Mark folded his arms across his chest, looking at Donghyuck expectantly.

  
Donghyuck just stared back blankly, and then they both burst out laughing.

  
"Come on, let's go."

  
Donghyuck lit up, rushing past Mark to throw off the maid's outfit and change into some civilian clothes. Mark chuckled, watching his best friend zoom around. Yeah, he loved his job.

  
Mark had been Donghuck's bodyguard since he was 13 and Donghyuck was 12, when his parents decided he was too unruly to have a traditional security detail. (It was embarrassingly easy for the little prince to give the slip to six trained guards more than double his age.) And Mark made an excellent candidate. He was Donghyuck's best friend, and a bit of a stickler for the rules, shooting down lots of the prince's more dangerous ideas. Above all, Mark was an excellent marksman (haha) and loved Donghyuck just as much as his own family. So at age 13 he moved out of his parent's estate and into the palace and swore an oath to always put Donghyuck's life above anything else. He'd been too young then to really understand what he'd promised, but recently the true gravity of the situation had become more present.  
Mark sighed, pushing those thoughts aside and prepared to follow his prince out into the night.

The next morning found the young prince terribly hungover, and it took a lot of tense smiles and bargaining to not only get him out of bed but into the carriage as well. The duo passed Youngho and his bodyguard on the way out, and the other pair laughed at the way Donghyuck was clinging to Mark with the hood of his cloak pulled down over his eyes.

  
"Rough night, little brother?" Youngho called, much too loud for Donghyuck's current state.

  
Donghyuck whined and swatted at his brother, letting Mark lead him out into the main courtyard.  
As soon as the carriages pulled away from the palace, Donhyuck flopped his head down into Mark's lap, complaining that the movement was making him sick. Mark didn't much care, and let the prince do whatever he pleased. They managed to see Youngho off without Donghyuck throwing up or passing out, a win in Mark's books. When they returned to the palace Mark took mercy on the little prince, and Donghyuck spent the entire two hour time they were supposed to be practising swordplay napping away the rest of his hangover.

That afternoon they go for a ride, arguing about whether Mark should lead so he can scope for danger or if Donghyuck should since he outranks Mark. Mark manages to pull ahead, checking out their usual clearing for dangers before allowing Donghyuck into the clearing.

  
"I don't get why you're so protective." Donghyuck complained, sliding out of his saddle.

  
"Literally it's my job." Mark deadpans and Donghyuck rolls his eyes in response.

  
"Yeah but it's not like I'm the crown prince. Besides, you always said if someone stole me they'd bring me back because I'm too whiny."

  
"I stand by that statement. But that doesn't change the fact that your well being is my main priority." Mark shoots back as he lays out a blanket for them to sit on.

Donghyuck rests his head in Mark's lap again, prompting him to play with his hair as they sat and relaxed.

  
"Do you think Johnny will really win over Prince Ten?" Donghyuck wonders out loud, shredding up a piece of grass.

  
"I bet he will. Prince Youngho is very-" Mark pauses, hearing rusting that's too heavy to be from the wind.

  
"Ma-" Mark covers Donghyuck's mouth, shushing the prince as his ears strained. Footsteps, heavy and not too far away. Donghyuck's eyes were blown wide in confusion, Mark had never acted like this before. Mark removed his hand, signalling for Donghyuck to keep quiet as he removed the prince's outer robe.

  
"Hey! What are you doing? Mark what's going on?" Donghyuck hissed in a whisper, fighting Mark's removal of his clothes.

  
"There's someone else here. Now give me your robe." Mark hissed back.

  
Donghyuck gave the clothing to Mark, and the bodyguard put it on, taking the prince's crown too.  
"Mark... hey, no!" Donghyuck protested realizing what Mark's plan was.

  
Mark ignored him standing up and pulling Donghyuck with him, pushing him onto Mark's horse. Mark's brown horse, which lacked the elaborate saddle of Donghyuck's paint.

  
"Mark, stop! I'm not letting you do this!" Donghyuck was still whispering but his voice sounded strained.

  
"They're too close. If we both run, there may be too many for both of us to get away. I'll lead them deeper into the forest, you get back to the palace. Get to safety." Mark was saying, ignoring the way that Donghyuck both looked and sounded like he was about to cry.  
"If they catch you they'll kill you." He protested, even as Mark managed to haul him onto his horse, kicking and squirming. He had done this on more than one occasion already.

  
"And what'll they do if I let them catch you? You're my prince, my charge, it's my job to keep you safe."

  
Donghyuck shook his head, even as Mark lead his horse out of the clearing.

  
"And you're my best friend! If anything happens to you...." Donghyuck choked up at the thought.

  
Mark settled a calming hand on his thigh, looking up at his best friend, fully aware that this could be the last time they see each other.  
"I swore years ago I'd lay down my life for you, and you accepted." He says solemnly. Like he was saying goodbye.

  
"I was 12! You were 13, we didn't know what we were doing!" he protested.

  
"But I do know and my choice is the same. Now get out of here, and don't turn back."

  
Mark slaps the rear of his horse and she shoots off in the direction of the palace. Mark prays that Donghyuck doesn't turn around.  
Mark watches him go, disappearing from sight a few minutes before three bandits break into the clearing. Mark swings himself up onto Donghyuck's horse and tears off in the opposite direction of the castle. Hopefully, they take the bait. Hopefully, Donghyuck doesn't do something stupid. An arrow whizzes past his ear, alerting Mark to the fact that at least one of them has a bow. Hopefully, he doesn't die today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
It's the longest two weeks of Donghyuck's life, longer even than the month of stiff rituals and ceremonies that surrounded his coming of age. Back then though, he'd had Mark to remind him to be polite and courteous and distract him when things became too boring.  
Now he had no one, and the little prince began to realize how much he really depended on Mark. Of course, he valued their friendship, but now he saw how much of his day was centred around his bodyguard. Mark woke him up in the mornings, made sure he ate breakfast, trained him in weaponry, took his lessons with him. Without Mark his routine became distasteful, and he neglected his duties. Not knowing if Mark was hurt or even alive, but knowing that his friend would die for him without a second thought made Donghyuck's stomach roll. Even if he was Donghyuck's bodyguard, he didn't know what he'd do if something happened to Mark because of him.

  
"Prince Donghyuck! Come out please!" a maid begged on the other side of his door, but he just rolled over and hid under his covers.

"No."

"My prince, it's Mark."  
Donghyuck bolted out of bed, yanking his door open.

"What do you mean it's Mark?"

"He's back, Your Majesty."

Donghyuck streaked from his room, not even worrying about the fact that he was barefoot and only wearing a robe. He nearly skids into the wall, arms coming up to catch him before he could hurt himself. 

"Jeez, I don't know what's more of a threat. Bandits, or yourself." Mark giggled, setting Donhyuck straight.

  
Donghyuck looked up at Mark, dirty, hair messed up, but seemingly ok. The next second Mark had his arms full of prince as Donghyuck tackled him with a hug.

  
"God I was so fucking worried about you! I didn't know if you were hurt or..." Donghyuck felt like crying all over again. God, he hated crying so much.

  
Mark put his hands around Donghyuck's face, forcing the younger to look up at him and squeezing his cheeks.

  
"If I didn't come back, I don't think anyone else would have the patience to look after you." Mark joked, but Donghyuck was being the serious one for once.

  
"You swear to me right now that you'll never pull a stunt like that again." Donghyuck demands.

  
It's probably not a realistic request, and if Mark were a different man, he might make the promise and do what he wanted anyway. But he was Mark and his oaths meant something.

  
"Hyuck, I can't-" Mark begins but Donghyuck cuts him off.

  
"I am your prince, and you are my bodyguard and if you want it to stay that way you will promise to never leave me again."

  
There's no room for argument, Mark can tell. He sighs, looking up at the ceiling. He understands Donghyuck's fear and should the situation arise he'll just have to think around this new restriction.

  
"I promise you, my prince." Donghyuck wrinkles his nose, the title sounding weird in Mark's mouth.

  
Yeah, he just pulled the Prince card but still. It felt foreign.

  
"Besides, what if there was someone waiting for me at the edge of the woods, or a surprise attack at the castle?" Donghyuck pointed out.

  
Mark sighed because the prince had a point. Of course he had a point, it was Donghyuck.

  
"You brought my horse back right? And my robe? you know that's my favorite one."

  
Mark rolled his eyes, slinging an arm around his prince's shoulders herding him back to his room.  
Yeah, he loved his job.


End file.
